The big screen adaptation of the musical feels like it is lacking the bite of the original film – but is still entertaining enough to keep you wondering about the outcome.
Having watched Mean Girls (2004) when I was in secondary school , I could identify with Cady in many ways in having to adjust to the social structure which was cleverly thought out for the original (although I was never part of ‘The Plastics’ group in fairness) – being a teenager and struggling to fit in and find your place was definitely something I could relate to in the original film and even in this version which adapts the Broadway musical based on the original film.
Cady is a homeschooled teen moving from South Africa to the US and trying to find her place amongst her fellow high school companions (who are suspicious of her due to her awkwardness and shyness) until she finds Damian and Janis who are cynical about every type of clique that exists in high school – in particular ‘The Plastics’ – led by the formidable Regina George. Updated for the social media age, it highlights the viciousness of high school and the importance of staying true to who you are, even if the script is sometimes lacking the bite the original did.
Tina Fey’s script feels authentic but yet somehow the aspect of the burn book (and how cruel the comments in it are) is underplayed and undermines a lot of the cruelty and judgement that exists in high schools/secondary schools and just lacks the bite the original did to make it feel relatable to many people’s experiences of this time in their lives. However, this being said the idea of being kind and inner turmoil that exists for certain characters is wonderfully done (Bebe Wood’s performance of ‘What’s Wrong With Me?’ is a wonderful example of this) – there is humour to be found throughout and there are plenty of set pieces that are delightful to watch.
The use of social media throughout the film feels suitably modern and does add something new to the story, particularly when regina and Cady are pitted against each other in later scenes, showing just how opinionated people can be behind the cover of social media that can feel sharp in places. In many ways, the addition of musical numbers can actually enhance the power of the story and the characters, with numbers such as ‘ I’d rather Be Me’ and ‘World Burn’ really reinforcing important points of the story while highlighting the characters insights.
Mean Girls features a really stellar cast who give their all to their characters – not least Reneé Rapp who has reprised her role as Regina George from the Broadway production. Her performance is delightfully and subtly vicious – perfectly capturing the ‘Queen Bee’ status of her character as highlighted during the sequence for ‘Someone Gets Hurt’ and delivery of lines which is sharp. Elsewhere, Auli’i Cravalho as Janis is wonderfully down to earth and really capture’s the character’s no nonsense attitude and has a lovely partnership with Jaquel Spivey as Damian whose sassiness is a delight. Angourie Rice as Cady is perhaps more timid than expected but does give her character a wonderful transformation throughout the course of the film. Bebe Wood as Gretchen offers wonderful depth and vulnerability that makes you see the character in a whole new light as does Avantika as Karen.
It might lack the bite of the original film, but this Mean Girls is perfect for where we are at in 2024.
By Emma Clarendon
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐